Tanagraphics Adopts Greening the Cleaning® Program

Customers and staff at Tanagraphics, Inc. in New York City can breathe a lot easier now that the company has adopted the environmentally friendly "Greening the Cleaning®" program, offered by The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center at Hackensack University Medical Center.

Tanagraphics, Inc. is the first printing company in Manhattan to implement the program, which replaces toxic cleaning chemicals with safer non-toxic products made of organic, biodegradable ingredients that don't harm people or the environment.

"We are very excited to be the first printing company in the area to be 'greened'," said David Jurist of Mendham, CEO of Tanagraphics. "Deirdre Imus has made a tremendous difference in the way people think about the environment and we're proud to be able to join Deirdre in her mission to protect it."

The new products have proven themselves to be as effective as their potentially dangerous counterparts, in a setting that challenges even the strongest cleaners. "In the past, printers had to rely on harsh cleaners and chemicals to keep our equipment clean; now we have a better alternative, thanks to the work of Deirdre Imus," said Alice Jurist of Mendham, president of Tanagraphics, Inc. "I'm happy to say that the 'Greening the Cleaning®' products provided by The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center have met, and even surpassed our expectations."

In addition to their environmental benefits, the products are dispensed through a system that minimizes waste and eliminates the tedious process of diluting and mixing cleaning solutions before use.

They are administered through a mechanism connected to a water supply, which pre-measures the amount of cleaning product necessary for the specific job. A simple press of a button mixes the product with the correct amount of water, and the solution then pours out of the dispenser, ready to use.

Since the products are not wasted, they last longer and consequently cut down on costs associated with buying additional merchandise to replenish the supply.

Each type of product comes in its own color-coded container, so it is easily identifiable, regardless of any language or reading barriers that may exist for those who use the products.

In addition to cleaning the windows, floors, walls, and other areas common to all buildings, the products work well on Tanagraphics' printing equipment. They are effective on the pans, barrels, hose lines, and most of the other equipment used at Tanagraphics. The printing firm is currently testing some more items from The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center in order to make their facility 100 percent environmentally sound.

"I'm delighted that Tanagraphics, Inc. has joined us in our quest to preserve the environment for our children and future generations," said Deirdre Imus of New York City, wife of nationally syndicated radio personality Don Imus, and founder of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center at Hackensack University Medical Center. "We all share the same world, and consequently, we all enjoy the benefits of adopting environmentally conscious practices at work and at home. I look forward to seeing more and more people work toward this important goal."

The program has been well-received by all who enter the Tanagraphics, Inc. facility, according to Ms. Jurist, who first thought of greening Tanagraphics, Inc. The staff's team spirit and mutual desire to preserve the environment allowed the company to make an easy transition to the new system, and Tanagraphics, Inc. received accolades from representatives of The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and Atlantic Risk Services.

For more information, call The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center at Hackensack University Medical Center at (201) 336-8071.

Hackensack University Medical Center, a teaching and research hospital affiliated with The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey - New Jersey Medical School, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state of New Jersey.

The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center's specific mission is to identify, control, and ultimately prevent toxic exposures in the environment that threaten our children's health.  In 2001, the medical center instituted a hospital-wide "Greening the Cleaning" initiative to replace potentially toxic cleaning products with more environmentally friendly products. For its efforts, The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center and Hackensack University Medical Center were awarded The Phillip M. Scanlan Environmental Award from Quality New Jersey (QNJ). The Deirdre Imus Environmental Health Center™ and Hackensack University Medical Center were also recognized in 2001 by the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA) with the Environmental Award for Excellence.